Glad Your Back
by happychica
Summary: Sasuke's coming back from a mission and he's thinking about a certain friend.


Disclaimer: You'd know if I owned Naruto, which I don't…

A/N: This is my first SasuNaru fic, so don't expect it to be the best one you've read.

_Flashback/time passing thingie, not really sure what it is…_

One-shot; Glad You're Back

The road stretched on and on before the exhausted ninja. The fight had been a long one, taking several hours to complete. More blood had been spilled than was probably safe for either person, but in the end, it had been worth it. Now he didn't care, he just wanted to get back home. To where he was needed. To where he was loved.

_Fighting was all he had ever really known. It had been drilled into him his whole life, and he had thrown away most of his life for it, doing foolish things to get better at it, and risking much more than one really should. And that was barely enough. The fight had taken most of his strength, and still the victory had been slim. Itachi was much stronger than he had thought he would be, much stronger._

He had been on the road for days, each one seemingly longer then its predecessor. He was starting to think he would never get home, but then he would think of his friends, and his need to see them would grow, giving him the energy to keep going. Most of the people there didn't like him, many never had, but like his friend, he had learned to get used to it, and so it had little effect anymore.

_It had been a long time since they had seen each other, nearly six years. Both had grown, physically and mentally. One had lost much of his innocence, while the other lost his child-like ways, leaving beings that still had only the slightest idea how to live. Killing does that to a person, especially if the act is repeated many times in a short amount of time. And now they had to face that fact again. One had been ordered to end the life of his friend, while the other didn't know if he could bring him home any other way. If either one completed their mission, it would hurt. Killing always does. And killing someone you love hurts the most, and _that_ wound never heal._

Finally, the village came into view. It was quiet and peaceful looking, seemingly unchanged. Sasuke liked that about Konohagakure, even though it couldn't have been his doing. He was different every time he woke up. Walking through the streets, he noted, as all ninjas do, the missing faces of those lost in the line of duty. It was then that the whisper came back to him, the one that had haunted his dreams for weeks. He began to move faster, needing to prove it wrong. His friend just couldn't be gone.

_Tears. So many people say that all they serve as is a sign of weakness, something the people who shed them should be ashamed of. And perhaps, on occasion, that's true. It can be very true. But there's something those people miss. Tears are really the only safe way to let out sorrow. Anger destroys things you touch, hurts those you love. Depression destroys the person who has contracted it. Slowly, but it does. A blessed necessity, yet an unending curse, everyone needs tears. And tears _always_ find a way out._

Reaching Naruto's apartment, Sasuke banged loudly for him to open up. When no one did, he kicked the door till it opened, then searched the house, still praying they were wrong. And it seemed they were, for there was evidence that Naruto had been there as early as this morning. Or was it? This could be anyone's house now; the mess was a universal type, not the kind left specifically by the young demon vessel. Dropping his bag, Sasuke left, making a mental note somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind that he would need to get Naruto a new door. Leaping to the rooftops, he decided to continue his search from there.

_Fear can be both a comfort and a drive, especially when a human has nothing else left but to lose. It gives the comfort of forcing even the most confusing emotions and thoughts to the surface, in a way that any can read, even those who are extremely thick. Feelings are not confusing when one is scared. But when one _is_ that scared, and ready to do anything to prove themselves right, then one has the unending drive to do so. All those who live experience fear, but most are lucky enough to only have the typical kind; school or the weather. For others, fear is the reoccurring nightmare; the memory they want to forget. All experience fear, and all forever will._

Finally, when the sun was beginning its show of vibrant colors that signaled the impending night, Sasuke found him. Walking quietly home from gods know where, and humming quietly to himself. Sasuke nearly fainted with relief, but he would never admit that. Uchihas are not that type of people. Instead, he crept around behind the other ninja with a plan of jumping him from behind, his own form of punishment for making him worry.

It didn't work.

Naruto knew his friend was there, simply choosing to ignore him for the moment. He was only going to get one shot at this, so he couldn't really afford to mess up. Waiting until he knew his friend could not alter his course, Naruto spun around and grabbed the front of Sasuke's shirt. Pulling his friend close, Naruto closed the gab between them, kissing his friend yet again, only this time, he chose to.

After a few minutes, the two pulled apart, panting slightly, neither sorry for what had just happened. They both smiled. After a while Naruto spoke.

"Glad you're back."

Fin

A/N: (hiding behind cushion) I tried! (clutches Iruka-sensei plushies for good luck)


End file.
